Great experience thus far! If you are really motivated and determined you can stretch your reach to different departments at Bandwidth. If someone sees potential in you, they will recommend you to other projects. Your efforts and contributions are definitely recognized and appreciated.

Cons

Thought catering was free, first day was an upset :( , but it's understandable for a big company with many employees.

The pros mostly revolved around the extra curricular activities. Anyone who worked out was able to take an extra half hour for lunch which was nice because you could shower. There were a lot of events that people could take part in. Bandwidth gives back to the community. Christmas party and picnic every year were nice.

Cons

When compared with other places I have worked, the pros I mentioned took away from the professionalism too much. It's almost like a romper room there. There is a balance between work and fun and because they don't want to be be too stiff they end up crossing over into too loose. Some of the people who get hired or moved into management positions wouldn't manage at other companies I have worked for. Good managers do more than just show up, they look to cultivate the skills their employees have but at bandwidth they just had meetings about meetings. So you would stay in the same role forever. But it is your duty to find the next position but keep in mind that not all positions get posted for everyone to apply for. Most of the time they just slide a favorite in there and say "we had to make a quick decision and fill the position."

Advice to Management

You are management I shouldn't have to give you advice. Seriously though, get involved and involved doesn't mean walk around and ask people how they are doing. Or having meetings that are held for the sake of having a meeting. Everyone loves the CEO and he is all right but a lot of it is just smiles. Just like a lot of management there, they say one thing like "open door policy" or "we don't play favorites" but that's been proven untrue time and again. Putting someone in a role directly instead of posting it can be called a judgement call all day long but it is really another way of saying "we put our favorite there."

Incredible benefits, nice long break for lunch, sports encouraged. As others mention - good events (who doesn't like free beer at work?) CEO is one of the nicest, most genuine people, who knows everyone's name.

Cons

Exceptionally little training. For sales team there was no real direction. Employees in all departments like the fun culture and benefits, but not their actual jobs. I stuck around less than a year because it felt very dead end. I understand they've diversified since, but when I was there it felt like being a digital camera salesman after smartphones became ubiquitous.

Advice to Management

Have actual training set up. For middle management, people below you are aware you do very little throughout the day besides socialize with one another. I'd never encourage micro-managing, but be more engaged with employees you manage.

Work life balance and 90-minute lunches are the big perks at Bandwidth. You can essentially come and go as you please so long is there isn't a huge project looming, at which point they grind developers to the bone. Paid insurance premiums are nice. Lots of free t-shirts. Fun co-workers. The CEO is truly a great man and knows everyone by name.

Cons

Management seems to lack a sense of direction; priorities change on almost a daily basis with little explanation as to why. There isn't much room for growth internally and pay is generally much lower than other companies in the area. Generally no clear career path; if you ask about it, you'll get a generalized answer and a loose promise of something down the road with little follow through. No bonuses or stock options for most employees. Very top heavy - directors and VPs for just about everything you can think of. Some don't even have anyone reporting to them. HR needs a tough look under the magnifying glass - It's hard to get a timely response on anything that runs through HR including interviews/hiring, compensation reviews or personnel issues. Lots of turnover in the past year.

Advice to Management

Go back to your roots and evaluate why so many talented people are leaving. Free t-shirts and workout lunches only go so far. Review your compensation structure and get on par with the rest of the industry. While pay has always been an issue at Bandwidth, opportunity for growth was there several years ago. It's now been capped by the hiring of so many managers, directors, and VPs. Keep the benefits free as long as you can (if not for this, more people would probably leave). Improve communication and inform others about the reasons for sudden changes and seemingly knee-jerk decisions. Bandwidth has the potential to be so much more than what it is.

Our CEO, David Morken was quoted Monday in The Wall Street Journal's story about the "Smartest Way to Take a Vacation" - he says the secret to a great vacation is removing the distractions of work email. The Bandwidth "vacation embargo" policy makes it easy to do that....it's so freeing to take a vacation and not check work email or voicemail the entire time. http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vIKzQ…/smartest-way-to-take-a-vacation-143740…

Do you have an idea for the next hot app that involves communicating? Join Bandwidth June 13-14 for TADHack Raleigh, part of a global ‪#‎hackathon‬ for communication developers. Hackers will have exclusive access to the Bandwidth API platforms for Voice Calling, WebRTC, Mobile VoIP for iOS and Android, SMS and MMS Messaging, E911, SIP and Dynamic Calling Routing.http://glassdoor.com/slink.htm?key=vIWc0